Blooming Petals on his Back
by Lucicelo
Summary: In the world of soulmates, Yukiya Ayase loved his soulmark. A large back piece, an indisputable indicator that his soulmate existed in the world. During his lowest point, a pair of eyes recognized his soulmark, saving him from his doom.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: So, during my planning stage of my Ayase has a mob uncle fic, I thought about writing a soulmate AU where Ayase is the soulmate of a yakuza boss. Kazuhiko is 25 while Ayase is 18. Haruhiko, Kazuhiko's brother, is 17. Might as well work on them at the same time. Horrible mistake lmao_**

**_-Lucicelo_**

* * *

**_1_**

Sitting in the audience of another auction, Takahashi Kei drummed his fingers on the cushion of his seat. He found auctions a complete bore. Back in the past, he felt sympathy for the people being auctioned off, but he grew numb to the tears and the desperation on their faces. Cold in his part, but he accepted his faults. He grew a thick skin to stay useful to the Honda family. As a doctor, he had a code to help patients, but this didn't extend outside healing an injury. His loyalty remained with the Honda family.

Peering toward Honda family associates sitting at a different table, he nursed a glass of whiskey. He swallowed half the contents in one go. A means to numb his annoyance at their leering. Any attractive woman, wait staff or one auctioned off, became their eye candy. The boss sent him along to keep the rowdier underlings in line. They didn't need _another_ embarrassing event in the underground public eye.

Their group recovered well enough, but the new head boss punished his underlings through far more humiliating tactics. The late boss beat down his underlings with his own bare hands to prove his point. A vast difference in leadership personas.

After a couple of auctioned off women, a young man appeared in a leather collar. Hearing some murmurings from some questionable men in their business, Kei predicted a bloodthirsty auction. Foreign beauties tended to bring in a large amount of money to the one who auctioned them off and the building owners. In their circles, the blonde hair and blue eyes were a commodity.

Sitting back, he sipped his drink while the host described the young man. To his shock, the young man was mixed. Whoever parent was European overtook the Japanese blood of the other. The mention of his _virginity_ was in poor taste. A means to entice the more perverted men into jumping for a chance to bed the boy. The younger appearance roused a fire in the men and women with _particular_ tastes.

As the auctioneer began yelling out numbers, Kei overheard some of the underlings put in their own bids. He rolled his eyes at their stupidity. None of them made _close_ to enough money to match the price. Regardless, he would have fun watching them get reprimanded behind closed doors. Their boss would love to humiliate them into learning their lesson.

A large sized man stood up from the crowd and stalked toward the stage. He opened the briefcase in his hand, tossing the contents on the ground as he announced the bid.

_1.2 billion yen._

Kei swirled his the contents of his glass around. Such an amount was unheard of for a slave. A sex slave at that. Even if the young man was nice to look at, it didn't warrant such an unmatched bid. The whole spectacle of this man going up stage and throwing money on the ground made everything a performance.

When the blond boy's back was turned, Kei's grip on his glass slacked. The glass fell, spilling the contents onto the cushioned floor.

For the room to see, a large sakura tree in full bloom was displayed. A big enough piece that no one could dispute a _true_ soul mark. The bright pink petals contrasted well with the lush green leaves and intricate brown branches. Giving the appearance of a small sakura tree coming to life over that pale white back.

Murmurs passed through the room, women that sat at another table gasped in mortification at seeing a _private mark_. It seemed whoever undressed the boy didn't think of looking at his back for soul marks. The idiot must have assumed a regular tattoo, but no reputable tattoo artist added _color_ to regular tattoos. It brought less confusion over someone identifying their soulmate. Then again, upon touching the skin of the soulmate in question caused a physical reaction between the pair.

The person who won the boy in the auction, covered him up in a blazer before carrying him out of the room. Either the man cared little for soulmate ties or was blinded through lust for the young man to notice.

Kei had to snatch up the boy before they disappeared.

Kei stood up, trying to follow the man out of the area, but the lights turned off for the next auction. Swearing under his breath, he sent a glare to the underlings on the other table who shut up immediately. Having felt his gaze, they turned to him, confused at him crushing their _fun_. He motioned for them to get up and to follow him out of the room. Their disappointment didn't phase him.

He was the one who tended to their wounds. One wrong misstep and he didn't tend to the person in particular as punishment. All the members of the Honda family knew not to test him.

He recognized that mark anywhere. Having tended to wounds and life threatening injuries, he saw eyefuls of that beautiful mark on his regular patient.

This foreigner was his boss' _soulmate_.

* * *

Once the auction ended, Kei attempted to figure out who bought the young man in the auction. Even with threats, no one budged or even gave him any insight on the man who overshadowed the set price. He held back in speaking of the soulmate mark. The ring prided themselves in keeping the identity of their clients a guarded secret, so any celestial means of destiny didn't sway them.

Money talked.

He slapped a few stacks of money and demanded an answer. "Give me the name of that foreign boy. He _owes_ my boss _money_." Best to lie and claim debt to scare them.

The last person who tried dodging collections from a yakuza boss was gunned down in the main area. Blood splatter got onto clothes, the seating area, and hit a few of the auctioned people in line. High powered people got hit with bullets as well and they attempted to ruin the owners for letting such violence happen behind closed doors.

A new policy of no weapons became standard. Until, the high ranking underworld bosses _changed_ the minds of the staff.

He leaned over the counter and sneered "I can always bring Honda Kazuhiko in person and have his hands on approach in _convincing_ you to release the information. He's one phone call away."

The man began shivering at hearing the last name Honda. Everyone in the underground knew of Honda Fumio and his _bloodthirsty_ heirs. Despite the passing of the father, the eldest son soon made a reputation for himself. A callous boss who humiliated and toyed with his enemies before disposing of them.

Scrambling through their private server, he went through the recent purchases which included photos. "Y-Yukiya Ayase." He stammered out.

Kei showed all his teeth when he grinned. "Now, was that so hard?" He removed his phone from his pocket and walked away from the front desk to make his call. "Matsuda? Yukiya Ayase. Call me back when you receive news."

He made his way outside of the building with the underlings trailing behind him. His cellphone rang and he answered without a pause.

"Takahashi. That's it? Thanks." Kei hung up the phone and sighed.

The name of the young man brought nothing but a university student living in a rundown apartment in the city. A decent enough place for a poor university student. An apartment they could break into without issue.

The details spoken from the auction checked out, but Matsuda also found living relatives of the boy. Normal enough relatives. None were involved in the underground, but the cousin took out large loans from loan sharks. A stupid move from a young man with limited income. These people didn't matter in the long run, but it helped to have information.

During their outside huddle, one of the wayward underlings caught the car the buyer rode in and wrote down the license plate number. A new young man who lingered outside to keep an eye out for any danger. One of the roles that the new underlings despised. He noticed the suspicious man almost running out of the venue and wrote down information on his phone.

This one note of attention made Kei's job much easier. No need to use other men to scour the streets and ask around for the buyer. When he asked the greenhorn about the man, the description matched the buyer and Yukiya Ayase. For all he knew, the license plate was a fake. Many people that attended these events rented luxury cars or placed fake plates on their vehicles. Being caught with their real names seemed so amateur.

Still, he called Matsuda and relayed the information. Kei didn't hold out any hope as he made his way down the road. The other men claimed doing jobs for their boss and they left him to his thoughts. This suited him fine.

As he turned the corner into a busier street, his phone rang. Picking it up, he was shocked at the news. To their luck and the buyer's stupidity, they identified the owner of the car.

Somuku Kanou.

* * *

Ayase curled into himself, his soul crying in devastation for having been taken by someone other than his soulmate. Despite his naiveté in wanting his soulmate as his first, he hoped to find his soulmate and connect together with them as one. The stories of various soulmates describing their first time caused him to dream about it. A goal to strive for in the turbulent home life he lived in.

This stranger took his innocence and a piece of his _soul_.

During his rape, Kanou sneered over his _pretty_ soul mark. Ayase heard his mutterings right next to ear, condemning his soulmate for having him through fate. Kanou even threatened to mar his back with scars if he didn't stop _resisting_ him. Ayase had to bite the inside of his cheek and silence his whimpering. Still, tears trickled down his face, wetting the sheets underneath him.

His soulmate mark kept him going. The reminder of his soulmate, waiting for him, urged him to become strong. In order to survive his ordeal, he focused on the chance of escaping the madman thrusting into him. A means to keep himself from breaking down and giving Kanou the chance to scar his beloved mark.

When he was rolled around onto his back, Ayase caught sight of a _dull_ soulmate mark on the man's stomach. Scars marred it beyond recognition, making it ineligible to decipher. Such a horrific sight to behold. From the deliberate stokes of a weapon, the man ruined his own soulmark and went through such pain in doing so.

Meaning, this man would go through his threat in ruining his soulmark to _break_ him.

At the end of the ordeal, Ayase stared at the wall, trying to keep himself from moving. The one forced orgasm when Kanou hit his prostate head on, skyrocketed his guilt. He somewhat enjoyed the sex during that sliver of a moment, but Kanou continued on for another round.

Kanou tossed him a shirt to cover his modesty, declaring a payment system for him to pay off _his_ debt. Half listening to him, Ayase's body twitched from the remnants of pain coursing through the lower half of his body. Various spots of his skin burned from Kanou licking or biting him. His mind replayed the whole event, further scarring him. He wanted to succumb to his grief and to disappear from the world.

Hugging himself, he tried touching his soul mark with his fingertips. The closer his fingers grew close to a tree branch, the tattoo warmed up on contact. This pulsation underneath his fingertips gave him a sense of comfort.

Ayase mouthed his apologies to his soulmate.

He muffled out his sobbing through placing his face into one of the pillows.

* * *

Bowing his head onto the tatami mat, Kei retold his experience in the club. His forehead touched the floor as he spoke about the auction and his surprise discovery during the middle of the event. He left out _no_ details. He respected his boss enough to never lie in his face, not even behind his back.

The Honda family picked him up from the streets and gave him a roof over his head. The previous head, the late Honda Fumio, nurtured his wish for a full education and he returned to them as a doctor, but still did certain work for them. A means to repay the family and keep the inner workings a secret from the general public. One wrong visit to the hospital and dealings became obsolete for fear of law enforcement finding out.

Once he finished, he waited for Honda Kazuhiko to process his report.

Looking up, he noticed a new set of bandages on Kazuhiko's hands. It meant Kazuhiko returned from the side line family dealings and took matters into his own hands. A split decision that fueled the rumors of his Boss' cold persona. Behind closed doors, no one knew of the true kindhearted man who doted on his brother or prayed to his parents for guidance. Expressing such weaknesses meant death in their line of work.

He might have to check his Boss' fingers once this meeting was over. His Boss tended to go overboard in making his point and didn't stop when the pain became unbearable.

Kazuhiko set down his sake cup onto the ground. "The boy has my same mark?"

"Yes, boss. He had _your_ soul mark." Kei worried his lower lip. "It's _unmistakable_. The large sakura tree overtook a majority of his back. In comparison to you, he is tiny and _delicate_. According to the auctioneer, he is eighteen and of mixed blood. I was too late to make my own bid for him. Someone else bought him for 1.2 _billion_ yen."

Kazuhiko cracked his neck with a scowl. "_Damn_. Was he bought by an enemy? Then again, no feasible enemy would buy an enemy's soulmate for such a ridiculous amount. They'd rather snatch them from the street to make their suffer. Haruhiko got a lower ransom than my soulmate whenever he was kidnapped. I had way less now that I think about it." He sighed. "

Kei looked at Kazuhiko's face and made eye contact to show his sincerity. "The man who bought him seemed familiar, but he's not from a rival family or a personal enemy of yours. That I am certain."

Kazuhiko hummed. "Lower tier in the crime syndicate?"

"Most likely. His name is Somuku Kanou."

Kazuhiko sighed. "Never heard of him. Fuck, it's always those startups who cause the most trouble. Father always said to keep a close eye on fresh names. Better yet, keep an ear out for any disturbances." He felt his soulmark scald his back, meaning his soulmate touched it with _strong_ and _intense_ emotions.

"What was his name? My _soulmate's_ name." Kazuhiko loosened his belt and let the air brush against his heated back. "He's _suffering_."

Kei winced in sympathy for his Kazuhiko's plight. He could only imagine the torture Yukiya Ayase went through. The young man was promoted as a sex slave in the auction. It made sense that the buyer made use of the first night with him, maybe even the morning after as well.

"Yukiya Ayase."

Kazuhiko ran his fingers through his shoulder length black hair and bunched certain sections to battle through the onslaught of devastation. Touching his side, he made contact with one of the branches which curled around his ribs. He breathed through his nose and sent soothing and peaceful thoughts to soothe his soulmate.

Kazuhiko muttered. "Ayase, I know who you are. I'll find you soon. Stay strong."

"Find?"

Kazuhiko sent Kei a warning glare. "Are you questioning _my_ intentions?"

Gulping, Kei shook his head. "No, that is not what I meant. Boss, we will have to prepare for the worst." He hitched his breath. "He was sold as a sex slave. You won't have the easy transition into romance that many soulmates experience."

Kazuhiko gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tight. "It doesn't matter." He lolled his head to the side as he commanded. "Describe him to me."

_**Tbc**_


	2. Chapter 2

**_2_**

After passing through the deep and unrelenting anguish, Kazuhiko reached for his sake bottle and downed half of the contents. The usual enjoyment of the beverage _dimmed_ at the mere thought of Ayase's suffering. His mental image of a pained foreigner stayed in his thoughts. The sudden onslaught from the alcohol caused him to sway, but he caught himself before he fell on his side. His glare stopped Kei from getting up and assisting him.

Kei uttered out in shock. "Boss-"

Kazuhiko waved off Kei's concerns. "I'm fine. Ayase seems to have calmed down." Rubbing his face with his hand, he ignored the pang of pain from the gauze brushing against his knuckles. "He might have fallen asleep. It's the best he can hope for, _for now_." Rolling his shoulders, he said. "_Fuck_. I never imagined a pain this intense. I hope I never transferred none of mine onto him."

Memories of his constant fights in high school resurfaced in his mind. He suffered hits and cuts to his back on a _daily_ basis. Puberty and proving himself as untouchable, urged him to behave in a reckless way. His stupidity resulted in trips to Kei's sparse medical wing. The scars on his hands showed his lack of care for himself.

To know that he might have exchanged pain with his soulmate caused him to feel immense guilt. He went through life without thinking about inflicting pain to prove his status, but possibly inflicted pain onto his _soulmate_.

Kei shook his head. "Boss, you only felt these intense emotions through touching the mark. I'm certain Yukiya-sama felt none of your past digressions."

"Here's hoping." Kazuhiko fixed up his yukata to cover himself. "This doesn't make the knowledge any less infuriating. He should be _here_. With _me_."

"I know, boss." Kei looked down at the tatami mat. "Should I inform Matsuda to expand his search?"

Kazuhiko snorted. "Knowing that guy, he would have already done it and is waiting on me to ask." He moved the sake jug away from him before he knocked it onto the ground. "I want Ayase found as soon as possible. But, don't let the ones outside my circle to know about this dilemma. Better yet, make sure the underlings who accompanied you keep their mouths shut."

Kei looked up before he snorted. "I treat their wounds every single day, they will have no choice but to follow my orders. Pardon, _your_ orders, Boss."

"Damn straight." Kazuhiko nodded to Kei. "Thank you for your report."

Kei got up on his feet before he nodded. "It is of no issue, Boss." Placing his hand into his pocket, he swore in his head for having forgotten the last part of his report. Removed the thick paper from his pocket, he presented the photo to Kazuhiko's eyes. "Forgive me. I forgot I kept this in my pocket. Matsuda sent me an email which contained the photo. I thought it best to give you a better visual of Yukiya-san."

Kazuhiko's eyes locked onto the image of a smiling young man with a tender smile. Slowly taking it out of Kei's hands, he absorbed the features of his soulmate. The way Kei described his soulmate didn't do him justice. If anything, Kei left out the fact that Yukiya Ayase appeared almost angelic. Untainted and pure.

"You...are forgiven. Nothing to forgive. I-" Kazuhiko stared at the photo in awe. "_Damn_."

Kei rolled his eyes. "You Honda men are a _romantic_ bunch. I'll leave you and the photograph _alone_."

Kazuhiko waved him off, his eyes never strayed from the photo. "Yeah, uh...go handle some idiots or something. Make it painful so they can dodge better."

"No issue." Kei huffed a breath of amusement before bowing one more time and left the room.

* * *

Sitting in front of his brother, Haruhiko, Kazuhiko looked through his newest test scores. Almost _perfect_ scores. No surprise there. Remembering his own shit grades made him laugh in fondness. His little brother far surpassed their late father's expectations and made sure to keep the headaches to a minimum. Haruhiko was the type of son who went on to enter a great university and land a great job. He expected his brother to enter the legal business ventures of their family. A _safer_ venture then becoming his right hand in the underground public.

In fact, he encouraged his brother to divert from the yakuza in order to keep a semblance of peace. Sure, his legal business portion of the day had their troubles, but it was better than a bullet or a stab to the side. For his own peace of mind, he preferred to see Haruhiko in an office space. Far away from the dealings he inherited from their father.

But, the reality of the matter came through the expectation of Haruhiko keeping close to the family business. His older family members waited for Haruhiko to _premiere_ into their circles. The legal business would soothe their commentary.

Haruhiko and Kazuhiko sat in one of the entertainment rooms of the manor. A private room in a wing away from the main area which contained most of their underlings. Many of who, didn't know this different side of their leader. His father _always_ told him to never show his real self to their underlings. Only a select few saw him outside of the cold and heartless persona.

Tales of undercover members of other gangs infiltrated the yakuza happened on a constant basis. Meaning, his personality never strayed from the heartless side of himself that he concocted in high school. Haruhiko isolated himself on purpose to prevent anyone from attempting to befriend him for revenge purposes. His own experience in having a _friend_ betray him, prompted a good example for his brother to follow.

Good thing they found their soulmates. Somehow, fate gave them the opportunity to have a blip of happiness in their lives. Other than each other, they attained the two people who would _never_ betray them for anything in the world.

Reaching over their plate of snacks, he handed the paper into his brother's hands. "Number two, huh?"

Haruhiko grinned. "I had to show off a bit this midterm. The teachers leave me alone for the most part. Academic enough not to get lectures, but _not_ number one. Number one is the one who gets the accolades and being put in the spotlight for answers. It helps that Serinuma is a study freak, he _never_ misses a question. So, I'm safe from _ever_ hitting number one."

Kazuhiko picked up a handful of peanuts and ate them while rolling his eyes. "When he eventually breaks down for making a mistake, let me know. These types of students tend to break down before the end of the year."

"_Aniki_." Haruhiko tried to hide his chuckle through grabbing his own peanuts. "How rude."

"I knew a _Serinuma_ once. A stiff nerdy type who studied all the time, but was reckless in social situations." Kazuhiko laid down onto the tatami floor in order to reach for his mug of tea. "He ended up calling one of the yakuza kids a dumbass and got his ass beat. The teachers and principal slammed their fist on the rest of us became he was the prized student who brought prestige to the school. I didn't condone their stupidity, they should have known better."

Haruhiko nodded his head. "This is one of the reasons I stay clear from the other yakuza kids or the wannabe delinquents. I'd rather not be pushed into their messes when I'm trying to keep my head out of the waters."

Transitioning into a brief bout of silence, Kazuhiko laid back onto his back. Putting his hands underneath his head, he waited a moment longer before he broke the silence. "Good news."

"Aniki?"

Kazuhiko informed him. "I found my soulmate."

Haruhiko's eyes sparkled at the news. Ever since he was small, he found his soulmate through a meeting with another yakuza family. His accidental touch of her hand while playing with a bouncy ball bonded them for _life_. He found her tolerable before their soulmarks transformed that his world didn't end in that moment. She didn't push him around or behaved bratty like the other girls he encountered.

The crescent moon on his ribs was completed with an image of a sun._ Her sun_. Their contrasting personalities complemented one another to where they understood one another in a _deeper_ level. Their similar family business bonded them even further. This revelation became a sure way to push an alliance between the Haruno family and the Honda family. Tying them together through marriage and fate.

The position of their soulmark made it possible to hide with a simple bandage. Dab in the middle of his left ribs, right under his chest. Anyone who saw him change into his gym clothes didn't see his soulmark, but the bandage. With his self isolation, no one dared to ask about his mark or even look at his direction.

His brother, the heir and now leader, kept his back covered at all times. In the hot springs, Kazuhiko wore a thin long sleeve white shirt to cover his tattoos and his soulmark. A pain in the ass, but soulmarks remained _private_ and _personal_. Besides, such a visible mark made it easier for his soulmate to become a target. The underground didn't allow for weakness to go unnoticed and unchallenged.

A wonder their families never thought to send them overseas for their education.

"That's great!" Haruhiko sat up straighter with a huge grin. "What's their name?"

"Yukiya Ayase."

"Oh... so an _outsider_ from the yakuza." Haruhiko's eyebrows rose at the unfamiliar last name. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Trust me, I didn't expect it either. Kei found him recently and gave me a photograph." Kazuhiko's frown transformed into an amused smile. "He's...far more beautiful than I _dreamed_ of."

"More beautiful than _mom_?" Haruhiko teased.

"He has a foreigner's type of beauty." Kazuhiko explained. "He's half Japanese. Took more of a European appearance, blond hair, blue eyes, but his eyes are almond shaped."

Haruhiko scooted closer to Kazuhiko and poked his side. "When will I meet him? You can't keep him hidden from the family for long."

Kazuhiko sat up and breathed through his nose. "He's in trouble. In far more trouble than I ever hoped my soulmate to fall into." He grabbed a bunch of his hair in frustration when he explained. "He...was sold in an underground auction."

Haruhiko breathed through his nose to control himself from an outburst. "Do you know _where_ he is?"

Kazuhiko shook his head. "We have a name of a man who bought him and his description from an underling. Matsuda found his address, but it lead to some run down apartment. Despite the stupidity in keeping a real name to the car, the address was a bust."

Haruhiko reached out his hand and patted his brother's back. "Has there been any other clues?"

Kazuhiko looked toward Haruhiko with a strained smile. "Other than the buyer's name, nothing else. We tracked his family members, a useless lead to follow. I'm sure the buyer isn't going to let him leave for school so there's a slim chance we can catch him in public. His university is the one place we can find him."

* * *

Ayase thought he was safe enough to look at his soulmark.

Kanou left him in the early morning after an awkward bare minimum breakfast. One of the twin guards brought it in from the convenience store. When Kanou left, he locking the apartment and left one of his men outside of the door. Ayase tried to escape through the front door once, but had the forethought to look through the peephole. A man stood on the right side of the door.

After two weeks of being imprisoned in the apartment, Ayase lost himself in his thoughts. He since passed the devastation of having Tetsuo sell him off in that auction. He should have known better than to give love to people who didn't care for him. His relatives found him a burden and never wasted a free moment to remind him of their thoughts. Half of his heritage became insults and his soulmark brought on jeers to how he managed to gain it.

One of the staples of Japan appeared on a biracial man's skin.

His aunt and uncle found his mark as a blasphemous symbol.

As a result, he hid his soulmark from view and tried forgetting about it growing up. Considering he didn't bathe around his family members, he never let himself go around without a shirt on. Whenever anyone asked him about his soulmark, he gladly commented privacy and politeness dictated to let it go. The rude enough people, mainly his family members, persisted in wanting to invade his privacy.

His apparent rudeness further pushed him away from the Yukiya and Isshi families. Any attempts at making connections resulted in cold shoulders and ignoring him. It hurt having no one on his side, but he learned to internalize his dark feelings. His issues didn't warrant _any_ sympathy.

He learned to paint a smile and silence himself.

In university, he embraced his soulmark. He looked up the meaning of the cherry blossoms and clung onto the varying meanings of the flower. Three words stuck out of to him: Happiness, hope, and love.

The words that turned into his mantra during his captivity.

Without any warning or hearing his incoming presence, Kanou backhanded him.

Ayase turned his back away from Kanou's view and backed himself onto the wall. Almost desperate in distracting Kanou from further thinking of his mark, he began apologizing. Despite the pain of his ass and the soreness of his body, adrenaline caused him to move. He didn't want Kanou to go through with his threat of scarring him.

The coldness in Kanou's eyes made his heart speed up in absolute _fear_.

Kanou reached down and grabbed onto Ayase's arm. Applying pressure, hard enough to leave another bruise, he hissed out. "Whoever this soulmate of yours is, won't want you anymore. Who wants to have a _sullied_ soulmate? No one."

Hiding his watering eyes with his bangs, Ayase tried ignoring Kanou's taunts. Yet, Kanou's words _echoed_ inside of his mind. The more he thought about it, the memories forth the dirty and disgusting feelings from the night before.

Despite the modernization of society, many found it in poor taste to sleep with another person who wasn't their soulmate.

It wasn't his _fault_.

Kanou stripped him of his right to say _no_. His meager hits and crying did nothing to sway Kanou's inner conscious. Kanou raped him and pushed a debt over his head. Money that Kanou used when he bought him in the auction. A debt he never asked to have.

Kanou yanked him off of the floor, almost dragging him toward the direction of his bedroom.

Ayase's tears overflowed and trickled down his cheeks. He received no breaks from Kanou's sex drive. Every few hours, unless he slept or Kanou went to work, Kanou fucked him until he received his own satisfaction. Ayase couldn't lie and claim he never felt a tingle of pleasure when Kanou hit his prostate. It happened more than once. Kanou became rougher when he saw his _positive_ reactions.

As they passed the bedroom door, Kanou pulled Ayase around his body, aligning him to the bed.

"Behave and I will let you go back to university. Maybe, that will stop you from thinking of this soulmate of yours." Kanou pushed Ayase onto the bed and began taking off his blazer. "Make sure to make this good."

Gritting his teeth, Ayase acted out Kanou's desires in order to go back to university.

He hoped his professors didn't kick him out of his classes.

* * *

Ayase tried not to blame the twins who drove him to his university and back to Kanou's apartment.

Kuba attempted to present himself as open and kind, but Ayase failed to believe it. The way he spoke, the manner he watched him, didn't show him as being honest. Kuba followed Kanou's _orders_. Orders to keep him from running off and to report _any_ sign of him wanting to run away. His emotions were dissected and evaluated for Kanou's review.

He was trapped in an invisible cage. Easy to view by these men and shackled away from his freedom. He was taken out for entertainment, for viewing, and to act out in command. Kanou threatened him not to ask for help. Ayase didn't need any prompting, he knew no one would help him.

To his relief his professors gave him a chance to resume his classes. The fake medical note Kanou sent to all his professors managed to sway them to accept him back. As a hard working student who went to his professor's office hours, all of them knew him by appearance if not by name. His mixed features made him a somewhat well known on campus, so he wasn't forgettable. Of course, they believed only sickness would keep him from attending his classes.

University didn't transform into a safe haven. It turned into another way for Kanou's men to have a place to keep track of him. Somewhere to put him and pick him up when his classes ended. With Kanou knowing his professors, he was further trapped in Kanou's web.

Still, Ayase enjoyed having a few hours away from the apartment. Half a day away from Kanou helped his mental state to remain somewhat stable. His acting skills came into play when he faked his smiles and self assured his acquaintances of his absence.

He hated having to lie to himself and to the public.

_**TBC**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_3 _**

Ayase welcomed the monotony of university.

Throughout each day, the brief hours away from the apartment helped him gain back a sense of normalcy. His previous complaints over the boredom of his classes transitioned into enjoying the slow passage of time. The more time the professor droned on about their subject, the more time Ayase stayed inside of the classroom. He even began asking questions which delayed his classes from ending faster.

Whenever he put out his hand, he ignored the grumbling of his neighboring students. His constant questioning made him an unpopular student for some time. The studious students furiously wrote down notes on the answers his questions brought out.

Once his recovery process made its way through the rumor mill, the sudden dislike of him went away. The fact he didn't let sickness derail his studies formed a newfound level of respect among his fellow students.

The respect didn't matter at the end of the day.

Sure, the understanding of his peers and professors kept him from falling deeper into his dark thoughts while attending his classes.

He returned back to Kanou's apartment to receive another night of abuse.

* * *

When Ayase saw Kanou leaning against his car, he bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from crying. His private hours of mental composure disappeared before his eyes. He needed that time to put himself together. Without it, he knew he would break and sob without control. Kanou's threats kept him from releasing his sorrow.

Kanou _despised_ it when he cried.

Ayase didn't know why Kanou expected a _different_ reaction out of him. _Forcing_ a half of a soulmate couple to have sex with someone else _always_ caused distress. Many soulmates end up losing their minds from having their autonomy taken away from them. The fact that his soulmate felt his devastation and offered him comfort, pushed him forward. Whoever this person was, wanted him to remain strong.

As he walked across the street, Ayase's rapid beating heart deafened his ears. With each step he took, he felt himself growing faint. He swayed on his feet, but he forced himself to keep on moving.

Stopping in front of Kanou, Ayase's grip on his backpack slacked. The strap slipped off of his shoulder and it fell onto the concrete in a thud.

Ayase swallowed in his cowardice before he spoke. "K-Kanou-san."

"What took you so long?" Kanou blew out a line of smoke into the air. "Does Kuba let you take your time?"

Ayase dug his fingers into the palms of his hands. He didn't dare look into Kanou's eyes. His disdain of him was obvious to himself.

He stammered out. "P-Professor office hours."

Kanou huffed in irritation. "Since when?"

Ayase responded. "It is required for my professor to check over my work o-or to better describe his lessons. I-I can't let my grades slip. I-"

Kanou dropped his cigarette onto the ground and stepped on it. "Then, you better finish those office hours _fast_. Kuba will report to me if you're not coming to the car _on time_. Remember," He said. "We have your schedule _memorized_. Do I make myself clear?"

Ayase nodded his head, "Yes."

"_Good_." Kanou grumbled before opening the passenger car door. "Get in."

Ayase crouched down to pick up his backpack before he slipped into the car. The sound of a slamming car door made him _jump_. He held onto his backpack as Kanou got in the car. Kanou said nothing else before the turned on the car. The music of the radio filled up the silence.

Ayase kept his eyes on his lap throughout the car ride. Any little discrepancy was judged through Kanou's _harsh_ stare. Whenever he twitched, he felt Kanou's stare bearing into his side. Any attempts of asking for help or jumping out of the care was _useless_. He knew the public wouldn't dare try to intervene on his behalf.

Ayase thought of anything other than the man driving the car. He thought of his lessons, his acquaintances, different topics that took his mind off of Kanou's presence. It only worked for so long.

His mind reverted back to hurtful memories.

Lifting up his head, Ayase winced at the stiffness in his neck. Having kept it in the most awkward position for too long, he reached behind his neck and massaged the area. His stiffening body didn't help him in keeping his muscles relaxed. His sudden movement brought him _another_ glance from Kanou.

When he noticed the startling brighter lights, he realized they were not going in the right direction. In fact, they were far away from the condo.

Nothing prepared him for the realization that Kanou didn't take him home straight from his classes.

Kanou breached into the club district with an assured sense of direction. Somehow, he managed to snag a parking spot during the beginning stages of when the bars opened. As Ayase checked his surroundings, he noticed there was no stream of people hurrying inside the bar they parked in front of. In fact, the few people who went inside, tended to look over their shoulders before running through the front door.

In his distraction, he didn't notice Kanou opened the door. Kanou's gruff voice demanded. "Get out. We're wasting time."

Ayase flinched back. Averting his eyes from Kanou, he hurried out of the car with his backpack clutched in his hands. He followed after him into the club he looked at.

* * *

It didn't take him long to figure out the theme of the bar.

It was a drag bar.

The decorations were plain, but pleasing to the eye. Nothing gaudy, no bright lights. Everything fit with the wooden paneling of the visible rooms. The boisterous personalities of the different looking employees overshadowed the classical music. He found himself looking at the clothing of the employees in order not to make eye contact with them.

Daring to look at Kanou, he saw the absolute _disgust_ on his face. As they walked through the middle of the bar, patrons and employees alike stayed _far away_ from Kanou. Kanou's dangerous aura further emphasized his lack of friendliness to anyone in the bar.

These people made a berth big enough for them to go straight ahead.

Ayase didn't stray from his side. He made himself small and didn't make any attempts at getting attention onto himself.

When they made it to the main counter, Ayase was in awe at the gorgeous kimono worn by the bartender. He saw a lot of women look their best on their coming of age ceremony. The elaborate patterns on their kimonos made him somewhat envious of them being able to show off these designs to the world. He knew he would have to wear a solid color on his yukata when he reached twenty years old.

The bartender had perfectly applied makeup that emphasized his features. He slammed a glass of whiskey onto the counter. He glared at Kanou with an intensity that Ayase never hoped to achieve.

"You leave for two weeks and come back like nothing happened?" The bartender drummed his manicured nails onto the wood of the counter. "Do you have any idea how long-"

"I'm leaving Ayase here for you to look after." Kanou interrupted Someya's rant as he picked up the glass. "I have business to attend to and you owe me a favor anyway, Someya."

Someya turned to Ayase. Stunned at his appearance, he didn't expect to see someone so beautiful at Kanou's side. For as long as he knew him, Kanou didn't present _any_ lover in his line of sight. The only reason he figured out Kanou began his sexual exploits was through hearing it the rumors from the gossip mills in school. His line of work made the man a paranoid _mess._ Any woman he fucked was tossed out the hotel room once he finished. He didn't leave them any choice in freshening up either.

He was always surprised that women went back to Kanou despite the shit treatment. Then again, he saw plenty of his employees take abuse in order to keep a patron

Despite the delicate feminine features, he knew Ayase was a young man. The sort of young man that straight and over masculine men didn't _dare_ surround themselves with. Having someone accuse them of being gay was a high offense to someone as _prideful_ as Kanou.

Someya would have killed to have someone like Ayase to work for him. Not to disregard any of his employees, but cute boys were amazing assets. The adorable appearance alone would sooth _any_ awkward first timers into having a good time.

"I'm _not_ a babysitting service." Someya frowned. "I have work to do."

Kanou downed his whiskey and put the empty glass onto the table. "Put him to work then."

Ayase looked up in fear at the implied reference to _work_. He didn't know what else Someya did in the bar, but he hoped it wasn't anything _close_ to what he did for Kanou.

Someya waved off Kanou's suggestion. "Full house. I don't need the extra body." He checked the clock on the wall and sighed. "I'll take him to the back for my lunchbreak. Now, get."

* * *

After Kanou left for his job, Someya lead him into his office. Throughout Someya's disarming and charming chatter, Ayase felt the tension leave his shoulders. Someya exuded a warm and genuine aura. A vast difference from Kanou. He felt safe in displaying his normal

Someya returned with a large pot of tea on a tray. "Thank you for keeping me company." He placed the pot on his desk with a carefree smile. "It's been a while since I entertained someone in my office. I usually have my employees come in for a nice chat every once in a while."

Ayase hunched his shoulders as he fiddled with the sleeves of his shirt. "T-Thank you for the tea."

Someya served Ayase a cup of tea while sneaking peeks at him. Throughout the few minutes he spoke to him, a thought came into his mind. Ayase was Kanou's _soulmate._ It made the most sense to him. The sudden arrival of a young man in Kanou's life and the overprotectiveness over him.

Of course, Kanou kept this revelation a secret from the public. Kanou didn't express his emotions and preferred a tight knit sense of privacy. His profession further made the man cold and unfeeling for anything other than his self interests.

Soulmates didn't have a place in Kanou's plans.

Too bad.

Someya would have snatched Ayase for himself if they were soulmates. He didn't have semblance of shame in showing off his soulmate to the world.

Someya went around his desk in excitement. "_Congratulations_!" Someya grasped Ayase's hands into his own with a beaming smile. "Oh, I always wondered what Kanou's soulmark looked like. The stingy bastard never let me see it even though he saw mine. What does your soulmark look like?"

"Don't _touch_ me." Ayase snapped back his hands and backed away from Someya. Bumping into the chair, he fell onto the cushions. "Don't you _ever_ comment about my soulmark! You have no right!"

Someya retracted his hand with a frown. Ever since Kanou commented about having brought a young man into his home, Someya kept his words to himself. Kanou disputed _any_ implications of being gay. In Someya's experience, many closeted men rejected their soulmate in an attempt to appear _normal_.

Kanou invited _nobody_ into his private home. One night stands were conducted in love hotels or in the woman's home. Meaning, Kanou found his soulmate and hid _him_ from the public. A way to keep his masculinity _intact_.

As a result, Someya _never_ suspected a man Kanou's soulmate.

Wanting to lessen the tension, Someya said. "My apologies."

Ayase breathed through his nose to control his panic. If Someya thought he was _Kanou's_ soulmate, then other people thought the same thing. The mere idea of being connected through fate with that man, caused Ayase's stomach to roll.

"How _dare_ you ask me about it. It is _private_."

Someya placated Ayase. "I know. Soulmarks are nothing to expose, but...Kanou would never have brought someone home unless they were his soulmate."

"My soulmate is _not_ Kanou. I saw his desecrated soul mark… when he-" Ayase hugged himself and almost curled himself into his chair. "My soulmate is _someone else_."

"Oh, dear one-" Someya knelt beside Ayase and placed his hands onto the handle of the chair. "Do you know who your soulmate is?"

Ayase shook his head. "No. But, I _felt_ them."

Someya arched a brow. "Felt?"

Ayase burrowed his face into the fluff of his hood and shut his eyes. "Did you know that you can feel your soulmate through touching your mark? I never felt them before so I think...we touched it at the same time."

Someya shook his head. "No, I didn't know." He looked down at his left shoulder, hidden underneath his kimono, was his soulmark. "I never had a reason to do it. My soulmate wouldn't agree with my lifestyle so I never thought to look."

Ayase opened his eyes and peered at Someya. "Are you sure? Soulmates are supposed to be your other half. The one who _completes_ you. Surely they would love you unconditionally."

"Not always." Someya shrugged his shoulders. "I met plenty of people whose soulmates rejected them or even abandoned them. Plenty of my girls went through heartbreak because their _other half_ shut them out because they dressed up as women. We are not a social norm, Ayase-san."

Ayase's eyes prickled with tears. "I'm so sorry."

Someya shook his head before patting Ayase's quivering hand. "No, _I'm sorry._" The sudden onslaught of crying made Someya's heart drop. Kanou had done callous, hurtful things throughout his life. Many of which she sat through on account of their long lasting friendship.

He never thought he would see the day where Kanou _stole_ another person's soulmate.

* * *

"What the hell did you do to Ayase-san?!" Someya snapped at Kanou.

Sitting in Someya's office, Kanou tossed back a serving of sake. Dealing with Someya came with drinking copious amounts of alcohol and tuning out _half_ the conversation. The fact that Someya _dramatized_ his situation made his headache all the more prominent. He was shocked that Someya commented on his private business. For the most part, Someya listened to him and said nothing.

Ayase's vulnerable and weak appearance stirred Someya to speak up. Not that Someya's input would do a thing to change his mind. He _bought_ Ayase. He _owned_ him.

Someya had no idea of the things he did in his line of work. Sure, he disclosed certain deals, but nothing that brought danger in the man's life. At least, he gave Someya the peace of mind of having nothing horrible happen to him. He didn't lead anyone dangerous to his bar and made sure to cover his tracks. His sullied hands would remain stained and unpure.

Kanou answered him with a glare. "None of your business."

"You made it my business when you left him with me for the night. Do you have any idea of the ramifications of your actions?"

Kanou waved a hand to Someya to get him to continue. "No. Please, continue."

"The poor boy is _petrified_ of you." Someya's lips turned into a terrifying sneer. "I had to calm him down with pills and a _whole_ teapot's worth of tea. How are you able to live with yourself?!"

Kanou hunched his shoulders and averted his eyes. "Easy. I don't think about his reactions and do everything in my power for him not to leave my side." He drank another serving of alcohol. "Besides, he is going to university. He's not holed up in my condo."

Someya shook his head and paced around Kanou's office. Lifting his arms over his head in frustration, he spat out. "Here I was, happy for the fact that you found your soulmate. Despite your shit attitude, even _you_ would have a soulmate. Did you know his reaction to my congratulations? He yelled at me in _horror._ The kid _hates_ you."

Kanou swirled his glass around. "He'll grow accustomed to this new chapter in his life."

Someya paused in place. "Are you hearing _yourself?_ Forcing a relationship with half of a soulmate pair is a horrible thing to do to a person! Why do you think a majority of rape cases end in suicide?"

Kanou rolled his eyes. "My actual soulmate died when I was a child. I have lived through life just fine and without _any_ bad effect. Besides, I have fucked _multiple_ women who have _soulmates._ Ayase isn't any different."

Someya stalked forward and poked Kanou in the chest. "There is a _big_ difference, Kanou. Those women _wanted_ to fuck you, Ayase _doesn't_ want to. You make it up to this kid or you will end up with a dead one."

* * *

When Kanou returned from Someya's club, Ayase noted a change in his demeanor. For the most part, Kanou stopped himself from touching him or even going near his personal bubble. He suspected that Someya brought up his mental breakdown in his club to _soothe_ Kanou's anger. For some reason, _another_ person's opinion brought a sense of mercy. His own pleas of mercy did nothing to sway Kanou into stopping his actions.

Of course, Ayase didn't question Kanou over what happened in the club. Even if he wasn't afraid of the guy, Kanou didn't seem like the type to talk about his day. Any little thing he did wrong, earned him a night of being thrusted into like he was _nothing. _Even if he acted to Kanou's expectations, he ended up under Kanou at the end of the night.

Ayase's nerves _skyrocketed_ whenever he spent any _extended_ amount of time with Kanou. Kanou triggered his instincts to escape, but his self preservation kept him from even _trying._

Besides, he didn't want Kanou to change his mind and treat him even _worse_ than before.

He wanted to semi enjoy this sense of calm before the inevitable storm.

When they went to sleep, Kanou placed a pillow barrier between them. Ayase watched from a distance in confusion. He made sure to look at Kanou's _every_ move. This sudden change in Kanou's mannerisms was a _trick._

It had to be a trick.

Kanou changed into pajama bottoms before he went to the bathroom. Ayase used the time to change into his own pajamas, ones that Kanou bought him, and slipped into the bed.

Kanou said nothing to him when he returned from the bathroom. He slumped onto his side of the bed and turned his back toward him. Sometime passed before Kanou turned off the lamp on his side of the bed, leaving them in complete darkness.

Ayase laid down and faced the wall while he clutched his pillow in his arms. Throughout the night, he was hypervigilant of Kanou's breathing and his movements. He didn't want to fall asleep and have the nightmare begin.

**TBC**


End file.
